Moroccan Pumpkin Chickpea Stew with Harissa - HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This year, I spent Halloween with my amazing friends, carving pumpkins, watching Hocus Pocus, giving candy to trick or treaters and eating delicous homemade food - like this delicious Moroccan spiced Pumpkin and Chickpea Stew with a white/black rice. My friend Lily found it on pinterest (recipe from Happy Hearted Kitchen). It uses one of my favorite spices - Harissa, which is a spicy red Tunisian paste made from chili peppers with cumin and coriander (see also my post on chickpea salad or cous cous). The Stew tasted so delicious, I cannot wait to recreate it...By the way, did you notice the fancy color scheme - orange stew and mostly black rice? :)Oh, and I know that is now my third post with a side salad - Carl's Squash, Lily's Shepherd Pie and this Pumpkin Stew. But what shall I say? I love that salad, Lily's vinegrette and her Mom's pickled beans and peppers...

Ingredients:

oil

1 onion - diced

3 cloves garlic - minced

1 knob ginger - minced

3 cups pumpkin - cubed

2 cups carrots - sliced

salt, pepper to taste

2 cans chickpeas

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 cans tomatoes

1 cup water (or vegetable stock)

1/4 cup dried raisins or currants

1/4 cup dried apricots - chopped

3 tablespoons harissa

As topping:

1/4 cup toasted almond slices

fresh cilantro - chopped

Serve with a side of:

rice, quinoa or cous cous

Preparation:

Heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Stir, so that the garlic doesn't turn black and bitter. Sauteé till everything is soft, add some water (or stock) and stir. Add the pumpkin and carrots, spice with salt and pepper. Don't be shy on the salt. Cook for 5-10 min and keep stirring. Add the chickpeas and the remaining spices (cinnamon, cumin, coriander, paprika) and cook for a few min. Stir, so that everything is coated in the spices.

Now, add the tomatoes, rest of the water (or stock), the raisins, apricots and harissa. If you like it spicy, add more harissa. Stir well. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 min till the vegetables are soft.

In the meantime, cook the rice. We used a mix of white and black (wild) rice, fitting for Halloween.

Serve the stew with a side of rice. Top with almonds, cilantro and extra harissa.